Jamestown Cannibal
by kappykuo
Summary: Dec. 21, 1607: In tense agreement with a tribe of werewolves led by Jacob Black, vampire Edward Masen pledges to protect the natives when a small fleet of Spaniards come to... check up on their 'favorite' English settlement. But what about Bella?
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**** For those of you reading this story, keep in mind that I have plenty of other stories that I have not finished, nor am I even remotely close to. So, I may not be updating as frequently as you would like, if you like it. Just, check out some of my others. Review or don't: I could really care less.**

**Enjoy!**

_Jamestown: December 21__st__, 1607_

The first day of winter seldom brings hope to the strange white men on our borders.

They have settled here since the dawn of summer; killing, pillaging, and destroying our lands just like the rest of their lot. I was but a child when they first came, but the memories where burned into my memory forever, not allowing me to forget that murderous rage they set upon the land.

Why would the Raven think to torture his loyal worshipers with this madness? Their tongues are like a coyote's: deceiving and untrustworthy. For why else would they bring contraptions of glinting rock to kill their brethren? Are they not from the same place as us, no matter how much their living has corrupted their once-pure souls?

But now, I have complete control of my tribe. Complete control over the fate of these miserable excuses for human beings. Complete control over how long and hard to torture their every man to the deepest pits of damnation.

Though no matter how much I object, the surreptitious beliefs of the unworthy white settlers affected me and my tribe for as long as I could remember. But, really? Christianity everything is all rubbish.

But that's not all. My name was heavily influenced by their so-called native country of 'England'.

Chief Jacob Black. _Because how 'proper' would a native name be?_ They said. Bah! I would have been honored to carry a chief's name.

The setting sun burst into my sea-facing tent, only being magnified by my visitor. Even though I could not see his face, I knew it was he, for with the hundreds of thousands of sunrays coming off his exposed skin I could spot him in the sun a million miles away.

Knowing my peace was soon to be broken, I quickly kneeled at my holy fire and uttered a prayer—one for my people and the sake of our land.

"Wolf Brethren," I prayed, for I knew no god other than my faithful wolf brothers, "give me the strength to protect my people. Give me the wit to outsmart their coyote attempts at my culture.

"Wolf Brethren, give me the power."

My fingernails elongated slightly, and only for a moment, as claws. It was the sure sign of my brethren had heard and reinforced my power with their own.

I got up with a grateful promise of good fortune for the wolves on our lands, and strode out to talk to my welcome but unwanted guest.

**Edward**

I gazed at the setting sun, basking in its warmth. It was nice to finally have a reason to be off Roanoke Island. True, the island did give me peace and quiet, but there were less and less animals coming through, with the settlers hunting around my domain now, and it was not my free time off the island for a couple more weeks. I swear, I'd swim back to Europe if they continued to starve me like that.

_Oh, he's here._ I heard the chief's thoughts ring from his tent. I sighed. I wish I didn't have to interact with these pathetic mutts, but the news I bared was putting both of us at risk.

"Do you remember how we found you?" Jacob's voice came a minute later. It was close, probably a few feet from the doorway of his tent. I heard his almost-stealthy footsteps padding across the grass like a wolf, even in his human form, until he came to s stop a few feet from my right side. He was very careful to keep that distance, for his sake more than mine. But, the distance benefited me too—they weren't the only ones that thought something around here smelled repulsive.

"I was a sailor on the first vessel to your land, but went overboard with a fellow during a storm when we were still 3 days from land." I started, my face emotionless. Jacob looked at my face and shuddered. It had always frightened him how statue-like I was.

"When you arrived here, a newborn vampire, we disposed of the elder and forced—"

"Me onto that forsaken island that my prey avoid at all costs. And now you only let me off every two months without any attacking on your part if there is none on mine, on the condition that I now hunt the wolves." I finished angrily, my own hunger fueling the fire. I turned to Jacob who glared back at me.

"Exactly. So tell me why you have left your land, intruded on mine, and come to me when it was specific part of the bargain my father made—"

"That states I can come off as long as I have news that will benefit or destroy both of our lives." I muttered furiously, almost too fast for Jacob to make anything of it. "Yes, I am well aware. It happens to be carved into every tree bordering my island."

"Then, _pray tell_, why are you disrupting my times of peace? Do you wish for death?" Jacob said with mock politeness. I should know—I got plenty of it back in my human years in the King's court of England.

"I have some news that could kill you." I said simply, turning out to the ocean and letting my gaze fall on a small fleet of ships I could easily distinguish from the water.

"Out with it!" Jacob urged, anger wiping clean from his voice, though it was replaced with peppered annoyance at my stalling.

"On a few conditions." I let myself have a small smirk. Jacob saw it, and immediately a glare set on his features again. I took this as a sign to go on. "I get free roam of the mainland all the time, while staying at least a mile from each village, avoiding your tribe and allies at all costs unless instructed otherwise, and only hunting animals."

Jacob's eyes narrowed until they were slits against his dark skin. "What do I get out of it?"

"The news and a dedicated, immortal fighter that cannot die at the hands of man-made weapons." I said confidently. Once Jacob heard my news, not only would he understand this more, but he would eagerly take my offer. I knew him enough to know.

"What is this news?" Jacob asked with new curiosity in his voice. I internally smirked, while my face returned to its cold mask.

"Yesterday, I caught sight of a small fleet of Spanish ships." Thank God Jacob knew about the Spaniards and their rivalry with England: I did not have time to explain to him my hatred of the Spanish. "About three, including the one that is a captured English ship, carrying provisions and new settlers for Jamestown.

"Once they were within my mental range, I counted at least two hundred, for most of the room on the ships is taken up by weapons, shields, and provisions. The Spanish captain is Sir Michael Newton, and the English one is Captain Charlie Swan. Captain Swan has a daughter, age 17, that was onboard the ship when it was attacked. She is going to be the first English woman in Jamestown. Her name is Isabella, and Sir Newton is absolutely infatuated with her and intends to marry her against her will, or her father's, for that matter." I chuckled darkly at the end of my news, knowing it was all too dramatic for my liking. "Sir Newton intends to carry out his plans as soon as he takes Jamestown."

"And how does this pose a threat to me and my kin?" Jacob continued interrogating me.

"The Spanish will stop at nothing until they have what they want. They will attempt to wipe out your entire tribe, and others, if need be, to procure and keep your land." I stated simply. Jacob's curiosity instantly turned to anger. "Do you understand my offer to be a warrior, now?"

Jacob nodded stiffly. "I will think about that, and seek you out after the bonfire tonight, after I consult my elders and advisors. Go hunt, until then—I scares me to no end for you to be near my people with eyes that dark."

I nodded, concealing my mirth for the time being, and disappeared into the trees.

**A/N (cont.): How do you like the new FanFic? Honestly, I just wanted to get my idea down before it went out of my head...**


	2. Chapter 2

JPOV

**JPOV**

"Greetings, Brethren. Welcome to the Winter Solstice meeting." I said before striking a flint stone and lighting the large bonfire in front of me. "Today, we brooch the tedious ask of the white invaders.

"More have been spotted on the horizon. I doubt it would be past midday before they came up on our shores."

"Chief, can we not just shoot them down before they shore?" One of my advisors from the North Croatoan region of my tribe's lands offered respectfully. I looked upon him, seeing the hard glint in his eye that was perpendicular to a long scar that ran down his left cheek. It was a shameful reminder of his foolishness in his youth in the raid on the Roanoke colony.

"Paul, these are more equipped and better prepared for a fight." I summed up what Edward had told me. "Which brings me to my next point."

"And that would be…?" Paul mocked. I gave him a glare and growl, from which he cringed away from with reluctance.

"The vampire has offered to fight them, and spare our warriors for amore feasible task for them." I said, looking down at the mention of Edward's help. Surely none of the others would take kindly to the idea of having a vampire, benign or not, pitying us enough to fight for us.

"Surely he would not do so without something in return." My right-hand man, Sam said. He looked me straight in the eye, telling me he already had an idea of what Edward's conditions were.

"Yes." I said slowly, trying to think of how to word this right. "He wants to be able to go off the island at anytime." I winced as I heard gasps from most of the elders' circle. I decided to continue before they disagreed. As much as I hated to admit it, we needed Edward's help if we were going to save up for the raid. "But, he has agreed, without me mentioning or thinking it at all, to stay a mile from all villages and avoid all tribe members and allies at all costs."

A flurry of yells and disagreements broke out in the circle.

"Why should we trust it?"

"What has he ever done to us?"

"It's the incarnation of evil! How do we know he's not jesting us?"

I sighed, knowing full well this was going to happen, and looked away from the group, spotting a familiar, piercing pair of honey gold eyes glowing in the light of the bonfire I had lit.

_Edward, get out of here!_ I thought furiously in his direction, and his eyes snapped to mine. Thankfully, everyone was too busy fighting to notice. I saw his stone lips pull up into a smug smile and shake his head.

"This is an educational experience to me." I jumped when I heard his voice behind me. At least I had the control enough not to spin around and attack him out of instinct for the scare. "I finally get to learn what your people think of me. I must say, though, with a third of their thoughts right now, I might as well just swim back to England."

I sighed again, but this time drew in a big breath. "Listen!" I yelled, getting the attention of my subjects. Some of them hissed at the sight of Edward behind me, others gasped in shock, while most just sat down with a smirk.

"May I speak?" Edward asked quietly. True, I was stunned he would to this audience, but nonetheless nodded. A few of my advisors gave me glowers.

"I am not trying to pity you with this offer." Edward started. Several people huffed and turned away from him. "The Spaniards affect me too. Whether you agreed to let me help or not, I would ride into battle to rid the Earth of these men. Spain has long been at war with my country, and since I have no way to get back to England, the least I can do is thwart their attempts to capture one of my king's colonies.

"And we need to fight. The Spaniards will stop at nothing to gain control of this land, even if it means wiping out your culture. And some of these soldiers—they are truly vile. They do not just pillage."

The women shuddered, their husbands, families, or lovers comforting them, for we all knew what 'not just pillage' meant. We did not need a repeat of the white settlers' first visit.

"I know some—most—of you do not trust me fully, but I cannot say that honestly hurts me. I understand your insecurities and your aversion to me, but I have never even tried to feed on a human. You should know that your wolf-blood protects you, so even if I have not fed in years, it would never even cross my mind to fed on your tribe. The only people in danger are the settlers, yes? They are not so lucky as you.

"But since I've never done anything to you," Edward's voice turned from confident to almost pleading. I was honestly surprised he would stoop this low to get the trust of my tribe. "I am only asking to be able to eat when I must. Going two months without feeding for me is like you going without food or water for a week, while it is just out of your reach. Not being fed, you will do anything for any scrap of food. Same as I. If I become too hungry, it could endanger you all."

A tremor of uneasiness ran through the advisors, myself included. Though I appreciated and somewhat admired his out-rightness, it was too blunt to say he was a danger to us all.

"I do not want to. Please believe me on this. I do not wish to be a killer." Edward took a deep breath behind me, which was unnerving for me since I could not see him, and continued. "And my help does not just include this battle. I've seen what my people, though I am ashamed to call them that, have done to you and your lands: it's disgusting. I would gladly oblige if your chief ordered me to fight them, but it would be in reason."

I could hear him hold his unnecessary breath as my circle thought.

**EPOV**

_Fighting forever with us, not against us: that could present its on perks._ Sam thought carefully. He must have forgotten I could read minds._ I wonder if he did include the generations to come, or only Jacob. That would certainly change the matter. If he and Jacob were using this pact to ensure Jacob stays chief, it could be blasphemy and I could have them executed. What to choose…_

Where is comfort when you need it? Most of the thoughts in Jacob's court were like a saw: they considered each possibility with equal reasons. The only ones I could count of were Emily, bride of Sam, Seth, son of the late Harry, and Jacob.

_I trust you, Edward._ Seth thought. I smiled at him without thinking, and then caught hold of my statue act again.

"I appreciate your little… speech…" Jacob started, not looking at me but raising his head. "But this is a decision not for me, but for my tribe. We must discuss this accordingly. Please go away. I will find you on your island tomorrow when the first of light touches the sky."

I nodded, and slipped away silently. It was almost as if I had disappeared into thin air, from the thoughts I was getting from the elders and advisors. But I didn't care. I was used to it.

I needn't hunt, for I did that before visiting the bonfire, so I decided to survey my enemies, no matter what Jacob's tribe decided.

Without stopping at the edge of the water, I practically ran into Chesapeake Bay, where the ships had anchored quite a ways off shore for protection, but I did not doubt their ability to fight from this position, too, if they were only fighting humans.

The water, cold to any human, was actually warm to me; the perfect swimming conditions. I was glad, for once, that I was not a human, or I would have frozen up by now. This just felt nice.

In no time at all, I got to the hull of the first boat. It was Sir Newton's quarters in the office of this one, for I heard the thoughts of generals and captains going over their battle plans one last time before resting.

"Sir, what of your plans to marry?" One of the commanders, Benjamin, asked quietly.

A rough, husky voice answered, sounding almost like course sandpaper over glass. "I must first prove myself in battle against the natives, and then Isabella will worship my every step. But she is still reluctant. I'm keeping her in the Captain's quarters on the English ship until the battle is over."

I smiled at the new information and jumped out of the water, landing light and soundlessly on the deck of the Spanish boat. I resisted the urge to sabotage their supplies by climbing like a spider up the mast and swing from rope to rope, like I had as a human, to the English ship, which was nestled right between the two Spanish ships. I felt more at home than ever before, swinging through this familiar jungle of tangles and ropes. I took my fill of enjoyment, and then let go of the ropes and fell to the deck from the man-made canopy.

And then I noticed the body bags.

As I crouched on the deck, I surveyed the dozens of lumpy, canvas bags lining the ornate carved railing. The smell was repulsive, compared to the calming scent of the sea, and would have overwhelmed any human. Frantically, hoping for a second that the Spaniards hadn't tricked me somehow to search the ship for Isabella and end up going down with it in flames: the only non-monster thing that could kill a vampire.

I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the heart-breaking sound of a woman crying, as well as a heartbeat. But I could hear no thoughts. From this ship, at least. Maybe the girl was too distraught to have a coherent thought.

I followed the ever-sharp crying sobbing into the Captain's quarters, and it hit me that Captain Swan must have been killed with the others of the crew and settlers, and that this girl must have been experiencing so much trauma and loss and confusion all at once with no time to breath.

I turned the last corner of the Captain's quarters to see a girl with long, reddish brown hair doubled over on a bed crying her eyes out. The sound alone made my heart break—how was I supposed to look at her and not feel mass emotional pain?

I didn't realized it made me collapse until I heard a loud thump and I was on the ground. Isabella froze and tensed. I could hear her heart going nearly three times as fast as she looked up and gasped.

Okay, surely there must be something wrong with one of us because I couldn't hear her thoughts at all, just like when I was on deck. And now, here we were staring at each other…

I lost my train of thought as soon as I looked into her eyes.

Their almond shape gave her an almost exotic look, like a tropical bird from the tips of Africa to a crow on the streets of London. Though they were rimmed with a pinkish red, the chocolate brown shade of her eyes bore deep into mine, like they were looking straight through me and into my soul. Like if she asked me for my deepest, darkest secret, I would not hesitate in telling her as much as I could on the subject.

And then the scent hit me.

I could almost feel my golden eyes melting to black. Her scent was by far the most delicious scent I had ever smelled. Mountain lion or any other spilled blood wouldn't hold a candle within a mile of her heavenly aroma. It sprouted like spring daisies in my nose and mouth, infecting each microscopic venom pore on the walls and making it overflow. The thought of just how easy it would be… especially when she had nothing to live for… it was almost like it was planned this way for me.

Had I been any hungrier, I would have attacked. No doubt. I would have stepped inside this room, taken one sniff of the air, and gone into a bloodthirsty rage among the fleet—all starting with her.

"W-who are y-you?" She stuttered. My mindset instantly went from murderous back to that strange, warm feeling at the sound of her angelic voice. I didn't remember many girls' voices from London, but out of those and all the Native women I'd heard, Isabella's had to be the sweetest and smoothest of all.

"Edward." I answered simply without thinking. As soon as I realized I had spoken, I tensed. Isabella looked at me in a mixture of awe, caution, and embarrassment, for some reason.

"Are you a Spaniard? I don't remember you on my father's ship." She asked in her beautiful voice, but I still almost laughed at the absurdity of my being a Spaniard.

"No, I'm for England, now and forever." I allowed myself a small smile when Isabella sighed in relief, but was shocked when she slowly rose from her crouch on the mattress and wrapped her arms around me. The power of her scent made me tense and made my mouth water like a drooling dog.

Thank the heavens Isabella noticed, for I wouldn't have been able to be near her much longer, even without breathing, and not bite her. Strange how I long for something I've never tasted.

"I'm truly sorry, sir, I don't know what came over me!" Isabella gasped quietly, appalled at herself. I couldn't answer; I was still recovering from the wonderful scent and the almost puzzle piece-like way that she just fit into my arms… "Excuse my disrespect—I haven't seen a friendly face in so long!"

"Isabella, it's alright." I said, again without actually thinking I would. Shocking myself, I lifted a hand and stroked her arm from her shoulder to elbow, and back. Her dress fabric ran smoothly under my hand. "Your entire crew was just murdered before you: you have all the right in the world to overreact."

_Even if I enjoyed that overreaction._ I mentally added.

Isabella's eyes spaced out for a second, looking dizzy and distant, and I feared she was going into shock at finding a grown man on her ship when he was not part of her crew, nor her rival's. Or maybe she had seen my teeth.

"Isabella?" I asked softly, slowly getting up and moving towards the wall by the door, just in case she wanted me to leave.

"Bella." She corrected, looking at me again. A beautiful crimson cloud traveled against her pale cheeks, alarming me once again. "_Curse my blush_." I heard Bella mutter as she looked away once more and created a wall of her beautiful hair separating her face and my gaze.

A blush. The crimson was blood that had risen in her cheeks. I was thankful for having decided to hold my breath for the duration of this visit: I would not have been able to hold back with something so luscious and close.

Why did she blush? I automatically reached out to her thoughts, only to find they were stubbornly hidden. If I was relying completely on my mind, I would have not known she was there. I scowled in frustration.

"Where did you come from?" She asked quietly, almost so that a human wouldn't hear, though I had no trouble.

"In England, or just now?" I asked honestly.

"Just now." Bella still didn't look at me.

"The colony of Jamestown is just a half mile from us, right now, on the colonial lands of Virginia of England." I answered, shrugging. "The local natives are planning an attack on the settlers, but the Spanish have stopped them to think."

Bella suddenly turned to me and gasped, her eyes filled with worry. "The n-natives are going to a-attack _Jamestown?_"

"Yes. But, honestly, you should see what the Englishmen are doing to the land. It's disgusting." I scoffed, remembering their torture to uproot Spanish spies, and they did it to innocents, too, which appalled me more. "This land would be better off without them."

"You speak as if you are a different group altogether."

I smiled wryly. "Thankfully. I live alone, in agreement with the natives. As long as I fight and gather news, such as this, for them, they leave me alone, for the most part." I was careful to leave out anything that might lead to hinting Bella of my vampirism.

Bella was silent for a few moments, contemplating. It was adorable how a small crease between her sculpted eyebrows would form and how she bit her lip unconsciously as well.

"The captain wishes to do unpleasant things to me." She whispered in a watery voice. Bella turned the full force of her majestic eyes on mine. "He wishes to marry me, but I don't want to! Not that murdering pirate! If you are truly loyal to King James of England, you will save me from this horrible twist of fate!

"Please, take me with you when you go back to the mainland."

**JPOV**

Edward was not here. I had been sitting on the shore of his island for hours, and had not found a fresh scent or sign of the vampire anywhere.

The sun had long been up, and I could clearly see the ominous ships on the bay, like a reminder of doom. For them. My tribesmen would not die; not if we had Edward fighting the first line. Ah, the things that immortal could endure without a scratch… but only if we weren't against him.

If he had decided during the night to join the new invaders, we would not hesitate to rip him and his new companions to shreds. Surely if the men were going to die in mere minutes after breaking shore, there would be no harm in fighting them in wolf form.

And then the wind changed, giving me full smell of Edward's sickly-sweet scent.

But he was not alone.


	3. Chapter 3

**EPOV**

I had given in to Bella. But, who wouldn't? Who would deny such an angel her freedom when she would rather die than go on without intervention. And no one should choose to leave an angel to her death, no matter how soulless or evil.

So, I had jacked one of the free lifeboats from the ship and rowed us to shore after tying cloth to the oars. I had wanted to swim, but something tells me that swimming with nearly invisible speed would earn much distrust. She would demand to know what I was, and I did not really fancy explaining that to her.

I shored the boat a few miles north of my island, just to make sure that, if the Spanish caught site of it, they wouldn't intrude on me. I liked my peace and quiet, and nobody, especially the Spanish, were going to change that.

I jumped out of the boat and onto the shore before Bella, and offered my hand to help her.

"Aren't you _cold_?" She asked, amazed and staring at my legs that were submerged up to mid-thigh in the ocean water. I mentally cursed: no human would feel completely at ease in the ocean in winter time in Virginia. It's just not possible.

I kept a polite attitude and shrugged. "It'll be okay once we get to the cabin."

"How far are we?" Bella shivered and wrapped the several fur coats she had on tighter around her body, and I cursed myself again. I should have insisted on carrying more coats for her. At least I had thought to save the hides and meat of some of my meals, just to make it seem as if I was a hermit if one of the Jamestown settlers ever found me.

"A few miles." I said, grabbing her around her waist and taking her into my arms to avoid getting her wet. When I looked at her face, I saw it was stained red. Thankfully, during the night, I had grown desensitized a bit, though it was still a siren's call to me. At least I could avoid it.

When I put her down on the shore, as with the other supplies we managed to take, a hard gust of wind blew and nearly toppled Bella, who was sitting on top of a tall rock, over. She squealed like a mouse as she fell at least seven feet, but I caught her once again.

"Be careful. I don't exactly have medical supplies." I whispered in her ear as I put her down. There goes that blush again. But I actually was telling the truth: when you're a vampire, you don't exactly get sick or scratches.

I filled three packs with the supplies, giving the lightest one to Bella, and beginning south, towards Roanoke—my—island. All was silent for a few minutes, the only sound being the small waves on the beach just outside the tree line and the wind whistling through the evergreens and dead trees.

"Thank you." I heard Bella say, but she was looking so determinedly ahead that I thought I was just imaging it. But, vampires do have long-term memory…

"For what?" I had to ask, for no matter how much I tried, I could not breech the mystery that was her mind. It was closed indefinitely to me—and it was driving me insane.

"For getting me off that ship." A tear dropped from the corner of her eye. "I would have sooner taken my own life than married that pirate."

I hesitated in comforting her. Had I not been raised in England, I wouldn't have contemplated on the subject, but my manners were like an army, dedicated to keeping me a gentleman. How I could still be one after nearly twenty years of being an isolated vampire in the New World was beyond me.

"I was going to see if I could get some people off the ship, but…" I trailed off, thinking again of the molding scent of the ship. "I'm so sorry. I don't know what it must have been like to hear that. They were alive yesterday, and I have no idea how the Spanish could slay a hundred men in one hour…"

Bella turned to me, her eyes filled with unshed tears, though there was burning curiosity behind the watery veil. "How did you know we were there? How did you know we were a captured ship? How did you know how many the crew included? How did you know my name? How did you know where I was? How—"

I had completely forgotten about being aloof. How _would_ I answer all her questions? And if I told the truth, she could think me mentally insane and run away to Jamestown—the Jamestown that would not exist after today. I couldn't put her in that danger, but I knew from how I reacted to her scent that I was to.

"I'll explain all when we're safely at the island." I said finally, trying to give me more thinking time.

I couldn't possibly tell her I could read minds without telling her I was a vampire, and I needed to get a good alternative other than being a Spanish spy, since I obviously lived in the New World and not on the Spaniard ships.

Only then, deep in my thoughts, did I hear another voice. At first I was simply ecstatic, thinking it was Bella's, but was severely disappointed to recognize it at the chief's.

_When is he going to get here? I've been waiting for hours!_

I looked up at the sky, observing the brighter spot against the heavy gray clouds signaling the sun was almost in the middle of the sky, and mentally scolded myself. If only I had rowed at _my_ pace, instead of a human's, I would have been on time.

But that in itself presented an even bigger problem. How would I explain Bella? Would he trust me enough, or force her to stay with his tribe? Before I could maneuver out of his way and get on a route going to my cabin from the south, the wind changed so it was blowing our scent _towards_ the island.

Damn the stupid winter weather.

"Bella, I remember asking someone to meet me at my dwelling for the battle plans against the Spanish when they attack. He's probably going to be there when he arrive." I said quickly, hurrying to get it out at human pace before Jacob came into view.

Bella looked at me, nodded, and then went back to watching her feet.

"Why do you watch your feet?" I asked quietly, hoping it wasn't something to do with me.

"I must be the clumsiest girl in the history of Europe." Bella smiled, but didn't look up. "I can trip on a flat surface in ballet shoes, so I doubt I can walk through an unmapped forest in even the slightest of heels without falling into the mud."

I laughed at the small window into her life as Bella blushed again.

_Edward, I know you can hear me. Who are you with?_

I think Jacob forgot the fact that I couldn't think back to him.

_If it's a Spaniard, I swear, I'll rip your fingers off one by one!_

I almost laughed at the hilarity.

And then we came to the small bridge I had made to get across the small branch of the sea separating my island from the mainland. Across it was Jacob, sitting criss-cross on a tree stump by the other end of the bridge.

_Edward, what have you done?_

At first, I was genuinely confused by the question. I cocked my head and scrunched my forehead up in concentration, but then got it and nearly laughed and growled at the same time.

He thought that, since Bella was so beautiful (insert images and thoughts I really didn't need to see, and my almost-growl) that she was a vampire, according to the legends about how the female vampires are always to most beautiful, and sinful.

_God, this must be like how Edward feels around humans! She smells delicious!_ I could see the blood and body lust in his eyes.

At that point I _did_ growl.

"Edward?" Bella asked quietly at my side, tugging on the front of my coat. I tore my eyes away from Jacob and moved my lips into a calm expression before looking at Bella. "Are you alright?"

"I don't feel comfortable having you near the natives." I said, lying quickly, though it was partially true. I looked back at Jacob and hissed, in his native tongue, "Away, now, unless you wish to die."

Jacob looked taken aback for a second before quietly snarling at me. "Why don't you explain what you're doing with her? Finally given into your instinctual nature, have you? Want a taste of human?"

Now that was a cheap shot. "Admit it, you're not faring much better!"

**JPOV**

Of course Edward could identify my lust for his little… companion, in more ways than one. There was this overwhelming desire to kill her, which I'm pretty sure came from my wolf, but also the most random thing: to kiss her. Hidden under all those 'proper' English clothes, I saw the beautiful feminine curves that many hands were just itching to run over.

Of course, Edward growled again, and this time anyone within a mile radius had to have heard him. I knew I should be cautious about his threat, but I couldn't help but feel ecstatic at how terrified the girl looked behind him.

And also how adorable and even more enticing she looked like when she was scared. And how much more… free she would look in the thin leather clothes my tribe wore…

And then how warm and delicious she would be at the sight of how her jugular pulsed slightly with her luscious-smelling blood. I licked my lips absentmindedly.

"Jacob, away!" Edward hissed again, stepping completely in front of the girl and cutting off my view of her. "Before I change my mind about sparing you!"

Glowering at the filthy vampire, I never broke eye contact with him as I stood up, and slowly walked backwards into the forest on Roanoke Island, breaking into a sprint as soon as they were out of sight.

My thoughts immediately flew to the girl. Know that she wasn't bewitching me with her eyes anymore, I could think clearly and I finally connected the dots to know she was the English girl. Isabella? It fit her. It fit her nice.

_And she was Edward's._

But this was _my_ land, held by _my_ tribe, and he was living on _my_ commands, and _my_ mercy.

_She wouldn't be Edward's for long._

**EPOV**

As soon as Jacob left my eyesight, I became nervous.

_She won't be Edward's for long…_

It was his dominating thought, the last one I got before he went out of my range.

"Edward?" Bella tugged on my coat again, this time her voice terrified. I mentally slapped myself again for nearly being a vampire right in front of her. "Are you alright?"

_The hell I'm all right! The most influential person in the entirety of Virginia is out to take you away from me because of his blood lust, and I'm a vampire who might be in love with a human, who happens to smell deliciously!_

I smiled, trying to cover up my stress I knew was evident in my eyes, and shrugged. "The chief is getting on my nerves. He was practically calling you a Spaniard."

Bella's hands shot to her mouth and her eyes widened in shock. "By God! Are the natives here _insane?_"

I chuckled humorlessly.

"But, what did he do to you?" Bella looked at me with shockingly honest concern. And it wasn't for her.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

"Edward." Bella said sternly. "You just growled like a feral alley cat about to be thrown into the ocean, and you expect me to think nothing's wrong?"

I didn't say anything.

"That— that _growl—_" Bella looked away with pain in her eyes. Did she find it frightening? Would she go to the doomed Jamestown, or, even worse, the Indians, where she would be sacrificed or raped by Jacob? But, this girl… "That growl was the single most terrifying thing I've ever heard in my entire life."

I gulped.

"But it was terrifying in the sweetest, most over-protective way." Bella finished softly. I felt a warm finger slid around my chin and pull it over to look at her. Her beautiful eyes were glistening with sincerity. "Thank you. That native was terrifying."

I almost laughed, knowing full well how terrifying Jacob could be to a fragile human girl such as her. But really—what was with the blood lust? Was I leeching his resistance, since as I gained more control he got more out of it?

Bella shivered and nestled her face into the fabrics on my chest in a vain attempt to protect herself from the cold. The contact sent a shocking lightning bolt through my senses, though it was most pleasurable, actually.

"Bella, come on. It's just a few more minutes, and then we can get you in front of a fire." I said softly, knowing Bella had probably barely heard me over the sudden howl of the wind. But she didn't move.

"Bella?"

The girl shivered again, but didn't reply. From the corner of her mouth that was visible, I could see her luscious scarlet lips were now a pastel—purple, almost.

"Bella!" I shook her, trying to get a reaction. Seeing her eyes closed, I made a split-decision and picked her up bridal style, running full-speed towards my cabin.

**A/N: Sorry for the long wait: I'm actually starting to get _homework_ now! Two months into school! Not that _I_ should be excited, since it's only a few minutes' worth, but still. I find the act that I'm actually busy at home for at least a fraction of time phenomenal. And Climbing Club is coming to a close. So, yeah: my reasons...**


	4. Chapter 4

**SPOV**

I'd never seen Jacob so distraught.

He kept pacing back and forth, mumbling incoherent nothings to himself all the while. It was beginning to scare me. We might have to give him a sauna to sweat out whatever sickness he was carrying.

"Chief, I think maybe you should take a rest…" I suggested once. He just glared at me murderously and shook his head.

"You need your rest." I tried again a few hours later. The sun was embracing the mountains to the west.

"Sam, you do not get it!" Jacob yelled at me. The poison in his voice was like rattlesnake venom. I remembered once, at my first hunt, I got bitten by a snake on my ankle and still survived it. I was given the 'right-hand man' position at a young age for my courage, even though it hurt like hell and I cried like a baby during my healing session. But this didn't compare. To be yelled at by a higher status member of the pack… especially the alpha…

"I do. You're concerned about your decision to fight along side the vampire. I get it. But it was for the go—"

"No Sam! You _don't_ get it!" Jacob roared again, stopping his pacing and huffing right in my face. "It's that _girl_ he got from the English ship!" I barely noticed Jacob shaking my shoulders in rage under my shell of shock. "I took one look at her, and she's the most beautiful creature on Earth, and I take one sniff of her scent, and suddenly I'm like a rampaging monster! Sam, she makes me feel blood lust! She's turning me into a vampire without the bite!"

Okay, so I didn't know anything about the bloodlust, but it has to be something, doesn't it?

"Jacob, as an elder, even if only by a little, I have an idea of what this is." I began slowly, shrugging respectfully my shoulders out from under Jacob's hands. "It's like you can't think about her without thinking… disrespectful things." Jacob nodded vigorously, his anger dissipating with each shake. "I don't know about the bloodlust, but I think you might have imprinted."

**EPOV**

Bella had been sleeping for a few hours. It was now almost midnight, for I could tell by the position of the moon, and I hadn't heard anything from the pack. Maybe Jacob had actually heeded my warning and decided to leave me alone.

Or maybe this was just the calm before the storm.

I twitched at the thought of being surrounded by the entire pack of thirty or so wolves. That would not be a very fun day. Of course, I would know long before they even got close to me…

The wind blew loudly yet again, earning creaks and groans from the protesting cabin we were in. The fairly spacious structure, which I had built in my first year here, had two floors and was actually bigger than all the structures in Jamestown combined. It was a good feeling to know I was better than someone, even though the intention was vain.

There was a fire crackling quietly in the stone fireplace across the room from the bed Bella lay on, casting a warm glow on the rest of the room. Never before had I thought I would _ever_ use that fireplace, for most everything was warmer than my skin, but I was grateful for it now. Bella would have frozen to death in the ravenous winter winds blowing around my island.

There was a kitchen in the corner, complete with a tub of dried meat (that I had saved for props from my meals), water pump, and dish set. Not that I would ever need it. But, when you're a forty-year-old vampire confined on a small island with nobody else, you have to do something, right?

I had tried making a piano, but all attempts had failed miserably. I had just settled for carving instead.

Upstairs was a bedroom overlooking Chesapeake Bay. That was where I had first spotted the Spanish ships in the water. I knew that they now waited, doomed, just a half-mile off shore. If I concentrated enough, I could make out the Spaniards' thoughts.

Sir Newton was panicking at the moment. Just minutes ago, he had discovered Bella's empty quarters and had a mental breakdown. He swore to personally decapitate anyone who touched her.

Yes. Excellent plan: waste all swords on the ships on trying to execute a vampire. I almost laughed at how ticklish I would be to have something like a breaking sword on my neck.

"London…" My ears picked up coming from Bella. I had grown quite used to it—she had been talking in her sleep for the past two hours. It had worried me at first, thinking she was awake after nearly freezing to death just hours ago. She needed to rest it all out right now. "Home…"

She had said mostly gibberish, mumbling incoherent phrases and such ever once in a while.

But she did it looking like an angel.

On the goose-feather bed I had, her soft brown hair fanned out around her head, making a sort of halo around her gorgeous face. Her adorable, plump lips, pursed together in a slight pout in her sleep, had gained all their color back from being out in the cold; they were now a blood-red. Surprisingly enough, he skin stayed the same pale, milky shade, almost as white as mine. She looked like an angel lying against the deer and mountain lion furs that made up a thick quilt. I wondered for a moment if she was; a God-sent.

"Too warm…" Bella groaned in her sweet, bell-like voice, turning over on her side and pushing off some of the blankets I had put on top of her. My eyes snapped to her face, which was now completely facing me, and I saw the thin, glistening sheen of sweat covering her forehead.

Hesitating only for a second, I stood from my spot by the fire, set down the piece of wood I had been whittling away into a small swan, and went to her side. I gently lifted some of the blankets off of her, finally realizing how warm her little cocoon had gotten.

Then there was a stubborn blanket, one that was completely wrapped around her torso, making it impossible for me to take it off without disturbing her the angel it constricted.

Biting my lip, I dug my arms under Bella's back, pulling the blanket out from underneath her. I repeated this several times, in awe at how tightly she was bound, and then set her gently back on the bed.

My hand brushed against her cheek.

I could almost see the steam coming off her skin. And I was too shocked to do anything about it.

Bella's luscious lips pulled into a smile as she leaned into my hand, against all that I assumed. It was a moment before I fully understood that here I had the most beautiful woman known to man showing affection towards me, unconscious as she may be. It was still almost enough to get my dormant heart beating like a bird's.

"Edward…" She sighed with an angelic smile that made my heart break.

And break it did.

The silent organ in my chest began swelling to an enormous size, one that cracked its icy shell and exploded against my ribs. My unneeded air suddenly left my lungs with a _whoosh_ and my knees nearly collapsed in on themselves. I was very close to just leaning in to her right now and…

And what?

Who was I to know what this was? I could very well be drowning in my disguised bloodlust, thinking it was love, and the second I leaned in to kiss her, my personally monster would take me over to the dark side and suck her dry.

But this was so _strong_.

All the time I had been debating, I had been completely oblivious to the fact that I had been leaning down. I panicked, but my body seemed to be possessed—controlled.

My jaw was clenched as I got closer to her cheek. My mouth watered torturously when I inhaled against my will, but my lips were still on crash course for her cheek.

Soft as a butterfly, I kissed her cheek. Bella sighed happily again, pouting slightly when I pulled away.

And then the fire came.

My canines elongated instantly and my mouth shot to her neck.

**JPOV**

Imprinting—the unbreakable bond between male and female—soul mates forever—never to be separated. The thought of being with Bella forever… it made tingles shimmy up my spine so pleasantly it was very nearly impossible to contain myself.

But, that _lust_. It was almost unbearable to be near her! The urge to take her, and the urge to rip her limb from limb were two _very_ different things, but they were constantly battling inside my conflicted body.

"Sam, I want to see them." I said without taking my eyes off the Spanish ships. Faintly, with my werewolf sight, I could see the ship men frantically running around, securing ropes, transporting barrels and large crates onto severely overloaded boats. I was in awe of the sheer _number_ of them! I had thought that two ships could only carry so many… but I guess the crew of the English one was faced with a decision and betrayed their country to avoid death. Pity.

"Yes, Chief." Sam said from the tree line. In an instant, we were both in wolf form and running lazily to Edward's territory. I had just brought Sam for back-up, just in case Edward got a little too protective of something I would just end up with anyways. Bella was inevitably mine: Fate demanded it when I imprinted.

Running for a few minutes at a lazy but brisk pace, I began to smell some of the old tendrils of the bloodsucker's scent. The sickly sweet stench stung my eyes and nose, briefly making me incoherent, but I recovered enough in time to jump clear across the river separating the island from the mainland. I landed in a carefree roll, coming to a stop on my paws. Sam was right behind me, laughing mentally at my playful entrance, though it was a bit forced. I dismissed his tone for later inquiry.

It was only then that I looked around. The swaying of the foliage in the wind was the only thing moving in my vision, save for Sam. With my wolf senses, I could clearly hear the crackling of a fire in Edward's cabin, but no heartbeat. Nothing. Wisps of smoke hung in the air above the tall stone stalk—the chimney—but were unmotivated to rise.

_Sam, spread out and find them. The bloodsucker couldn't have gotten too far._ I projected my thoughts to my right-hand man.

_Where could they be?_ I heard him ask himself. I was wondering that, too. Unless Edward was hunting, which he couldn't be, since I haven't allowed it, and Bella had gotten lost in the woods…

_Check the woods: I'm searching the house._ I thought to him, taking off.

As I approached the door, I sniffed, trailing on scent trail until I found a newer one. They were all Edward's. None were Bella's. Somehow, Edward had found a way to cover up her scent—and it _pissed_. _Me_. _Off_.

_Sam! Don't bother searching the—_

_Jacob, I think I found something._

I took off running towards Sam, interested to know what he found. A few minutes of running brought me to a coastal outlook, several hundred feet above the water, and a new trail of Edward's scent leading over the edge.

So was Bella's.

**A/N: Sorry it took me a while to update: I couldn't log in. And I feel like an idiot, because they told me to put a number in my password a few weeks ago, and I forgot that I had done it, so I've been cursing FanFiction for days for not letting me into my account.**


	5. Chapter 5

**EPOV**

I had run as fast as I could once I'd heard Jacob and Sam's thoughts. Picking up Bella, I had rolled her up in a blanket, muffling both her ear-shattering screams and floral scent, and ran towards the only place I knew we would never be found, and they could never get us.

The cliff.

At first, I had thought Sam had picked up my scent, since he was going in my basic direction, but his thoughts were not those of pursuit—they were of frustration. He couldn't distinguish one trail from another, since my scent was saturating the flora of the area.

And then, once I had finally gotten to the cliff, I'd jumped, seemingly offering myself to the mercy of the sea and the rocks below. One of the thicker blankets around Bella flew off, uncovering her loud display of agony. But I took little notice of it—soon she'd have no need of blankets for warmth, just for comfort.

I continued my leap of faith, only to grab onto a length of rope that was hanging from the mouth of a cave about halfway down the cliff face. I clutched onto the rope for Bella's life and gracefully landed in the entrance of the cave almost silently, which was saying something since it was nearly as big as my cabin and echoed.

I heard the familiar thoughts of Sam, and panicked.

_New trail! Hey, Jacob—_

So he had found my trail. I quickly wrapped Bella up again, placed my hand over her mouth, at which point she calmed to just sobs and groans, and brought her to the far corner of the cave. And I didn't realize I had sat down with her in my lap until she was clutching my shirt for dear life, sobbing into my chest. And no matter how wrong it was that an angel should cry, it felt so _right_ to have her in my arms, like she was just the perfect size and shape for them. My arms tightened around her, bringing her closer to me.

_Bella! Oh no—the bloodsucker!_ I heard Jacob's thoughts exclaim from the tip of the cliff. A few seconds he spent thinking about jumping down in attempt to 'rescue' Bella from her watery grave, but thankfully Sam spoke—though—before he did. He might have caught sight of me and my hideout on the way down.

_Chief Jacob, we must get back to the tribe now. We can have the rest of the pack go and search the coastline for the vampire—he's going to have to come back sometime, unless he plans on swimming back to England._

_But Sam—HE HAS MY IMPRINT._

_Imprint?_ I thought to myself. The idea was almost laughable, and if not for the death sentence being put on my head and the imminent danger not 200 feet from me, _putting_ said death sentence on my head, I would have laughed.

But then came the anger. How _dare_ he think he imprinted on Bella! That bloodlust was completely _screaming_ at him to not be near her, and he though she was her _soul mate?_ From what I had seen in Sam's head, an imprint was an item of love that you can't live without, and the thought of killing or destroying it, like Jacob was unconsciously think about doing to Bella, was unbearable. Okay, so I _didn't_ completely understand the concept of it, but I didn't think love was supposed to make you want to eat that special someone.

It was times like these when I wondered if I had maybe found love in London. Had I been betrothed? Had I had plans for the future? Had I been courting someone? I remembered so little of my human life, and what I did usually just involved a middle-aged couple, that I presumed were my parents. Sometimes there was another male voice, but I just couldn't put a face to it.

"_Is my Edward going to be alright?" A hoarse woman's voice asked quietly. She sounded on the verge of death._

"_He's not going to make it. There's a small chance of you making it, too." A smooth male voice said. It was familiar, but an undertone of sadness and strain gave it an alien sound._

"_And what about my little boy?" The woman's voice whispered. It was quieter, like she was getting farther away, only not physically._

"_He's completely healthy, Elizabeth. He shows no signs of carrying the flu."_

"_Thank the heavens. Take care of him while I'm gone… Do everything in your power to keep him alive." The last part was a mere breath of the wind._

I assumed the Elizabeth speaking was my mother, and the other Edward was my father. I had never truly identified this other man, but from the sound of his voice and the hidden meaning behind my mother's last words, I suspected he was a vampire, but I knew he wasn't the one who changed me. The vampire who had changed me was a shipmate on my way to the English colony we had.

_Jacob, I know. I'm sorry for your loss, but we might be able to find Edward and make him pay for what he's done._

The only sound, for a few minutes, was the faint but heavy sound of the wolves' panting.

_The girl smells weird._ Jacob thought all of a sudden. _Sam, her scent gets slightly sweeter from the beginning of the trail to the edge of the cliff. And it's not just mixing with Edward's scent; it's sickly sweet in its own way._

Sam was quiet for a moment, but then a flame flickered smartly in his thoughts.

_Sam, you're horrified but pissed—what's wrong?_

_With all due respect, Chief Jacob, tie up the teepee and think about it. What's bound to go wrong when a girl who smells enticingly sweet is alone with a vampire, no matter how well fed, in the middle of the woods where nobody can hear them?_

_No, Sam, no! He has more control than THAT! He can't have bitten her!_

_Jacob, he has no more self-control than you, maybe even less. How would you have fared in that same situation?_

Jacob was horrified and disgusted to say the least. But what horrified me was that he jumped from the cliff's edge.

**BPOV**

My goodness, never in my life had I endured such agony—like I was a witch at the stake. Like a million swords were skewering every nerve of my body. Like I was burning in the deepest pits of Satan's domain. And I was never granted a moment of pure mercy.

Sure, the tentative pressures on my exposed skin offered me relief, but that was only on exposed skin, and I was pretty sure I had been well dressed for the winter's fury. Oh, what I would do now for exposure to the frostbite I knew winter would be quick to give.

"I'm so sorry, Bella: so, so, sorry." A velvety voice cooed in my ear. The speaker's icy breath illuminated my senses for a second, sending me into momentary shock. The voice fit an angel's description, so I must be dead. I must be going through Hell for my thoughts about Edward, but that didn't explain the angel next to me.

He had the most gorgeous bronze hair that all but exploded from his head, but in an incredibly attractive manner. His skin was like white marble, but twisted into a mask of pure agony and depression. I wanted nothing more than to fix whatever was wrong with this God-like being, but I could do nothing of the sort.

At least he offered me Salvation, though if I was on my way to Hell, I would want to do it thoroughly. Obviously, to be in this much _pain_, I must have done something terribly wrong—therefore, I did not deserve an angel.

As if this didn't already seem as bad as they get, a fierce growl echoed through my ears.

**EPOV**

A flash of russet fur and purely furious and determined eyes from Jacob as he fell into the ocean told me that he now knew of my safe haven. But, I took pride in knowing I had prepared for the worst when I had first been off my island. The cliff was at an angle, making any who attempted to climb down hand by their arms—and with the distance they needed to climb, even with werewolf strength and durability most people would rather chop off their arms rather than try.

Similarly, the mouth of the cave, big as it may be, was a very small target—even I had to try endlessly for a week to get in again. But, with patience, which vampires must have in their immortal life, and practice, I soon mastered my entrance.

It was almost as if it was planned this way.

The mouth of the cave was not big enough to allow a werewolf to enter in its wolf form, but the raging waters below made it incredibly risky to attempt the jump without the protection being in wolf form offered. It was fool proof, utterly consequential planning.

_Edward, you bastard!_ I chuckled darkly at Jacob's mental call and at the resounding splash against a particularly large wave as he broke the surface of the stormy waters. _I swear, when I get in there I'll—_

Even from up here, my amplified hearing could pick up the pitiful sound of his choking, and his paws scratching against the rocks. I knew he would eventually get out of the riptide and swim to shore, but I had much more important things to concern myself with.

Bella's heart and breathing sped up. I panicked for a second, rubbing her forehead and patting her cheeks with my freezing hands. She calmed some, but it still broke my heart into a trillion little pieces to know that _I_ was the one that had caused her all this pain. How I would make it through the next three days wallowing in this guilt was beyond me—but how Bella could be so silent in her transformation and be in _all_ that _pain_ was farther than the stars.

"Shh, Bella, it'll be okay. I won't let anything else happen to you. I promise." I pleaded to her, clutching her tighter against my chest. She grabbed in new handfuls of my shirt, making it eternally wrinkled (not that I cared), and sobbed into my chest. "I'm sorry, Bella, so, so, sorry. I never should have done what I had."

"It—it hurts." She cried out, muffling her voice in my chest.

"I know it does." I sympathized, remembering the excruciating pain I had gone through during my change. "Please believe me when I say I'd do anything I could to help you, but there's nothing I can think to do, and—"

"Stop!" Bella forced out between her teeth. Tears would be running down my face right now if I were human. "Who wouldn't trust an angel?"

**JPOV**

"The bloodsucker has bitten a human." I announced in a loud voice over the fire. A round of gasps echoed in the night. "In three days' time, we will have a newborn vampire running around our lands." I clenched my teeth at the thought of beautiful, delicious Bella running around, slaughtering hordes of people with Edward at her side, both their eyes red. "Any tribe with no blood relation to ours is at risk."

"Who, may I ask, has he bitten?" My youngest advisor, Seth asked with a stone expression. He had been practicing, but I could still clearly see the betrayal and sadness in his eyes. As much as it had disgusted me, and still does, he and Edward were something close to friends.

"My imprint." I said simply.

"There was a young woman on the captured English ship that was spared, and Edward 'rescued' her." Sam clarified. "It would have been _much_ safer for her _and_ us to just have seized her when we had the chance…" Sam trailed off and looked pointedly at me. I growled menacingly at him and he turned away.

"He should be able to get a hold of. For the most part." Sam continued. "About halfway down a cliff some ways north of here, there is a cave. Inside, Edward is waiting out the woman's change, probably planning on how best to attack us. He has enough to safely pick us off one at a time, so—"

"They are probably going to attack the Spanish first." I interrupted. "Edward was dead-set on taking them out, and I doubt having a… _companion_ will deter him from that. And, they are both enemies of the Spanish… I have reached a decision."

"But—" Sam started.

"_No_ Sam." I snapped, turning back to my pack. "Seth, Collin, Brady—go and search the coastline for any new bloodsucker trails—and I mean _any_." I hoped I implied to search for Bella's, too. "And if you come across the girl, bring her back to me. Kill Edward."

Seth couldn't hold back his shock this time. He started stuttering like a madman before being dragged into the woods by Collin and Brady.

"Chief, are you sure it was wise to send Seth?" Sam whispered in my ear. "I mean, he has a personal connection to his target, and he might take sympathy. There's still time to call him back… I could go instead…"

"No Sam. I need you here." I said bluntly, excusing myself from the severely shaken group of what was left of my advisors and starting a brisk walk through the woods to the shore. If I squinted, I could just barely see Edward's island.

"What exactly are we going to do _here?_" Sam asked, impatient. I turned my gaze over to the Spanish ships offshore.

"Negotiate."

**A/N: So, I got one review from Nashi (), though I think it was an anonymous, asking why Jacob was having bloodlust for Bella. I know, it's confusing at least some of you, but believe me when I saw it will all make sense in just a little bit.**

**Glad you're still reading and putting up with my irregular updates!  
Kylie M. **


	6. Chapter 6

**MPOV**

_Sir Michael Newton._

The name was engraved in almost pure Spanish gold on the back of my compass. Comical, how two little magnets and a whole lot of medal could be worth so much these days. I mused sometimes, that if I were to sell my ship, sailing trinkets, and all this useless space-taker I had collected over the years and settle down, my great-great grandchildren would be set for life, and live like kings all the while.

But that wasn't going to happen. I wasn't going to have children, nor was I ever going to settle down, until I found those idiotic psychopaths who decided it would be hilarious if they stole my bride right out from under my nose.

And I would tell them, before I personally decapitated them, "Nobody's laughing." Oh, how I would relish the feel of traitors' blood on my hands.

Well, whoever had snatched the beautiful mistress I was planning on calling my own before she got abducted, had to be silent as a cat and skillful as a Mediterranean assassin. The guards patrolling the decks of the English ship had reported nothing out of the ordinary, only the fact that Isabella's incessant tears had ceased their flow some time before daybreak.

Though, one guard _was_ acting peculiar.

Shipmate Carlisle Cullen, a wealthy doctor we needed aboard to tend to the wounded of the upcoming battle, had literally frozen for several minutes after taking just a step onto the English ship. Perhaps he recognized the ship's build, or name, but all I know was that he didn't move nor hear any of us in that time. He had always been the silent type… but this was sort of alarming.

I knew I was a Spanish general—but only after betraying several things of the King of England's kingdom to the Spaniards. The Queen made me a high-ranking soldier ever since, and had ordered me to stunt England's growth in the new world, but I couldn't help but feel as if I knew Cullen somehow. He was different, I was sure of, but exactly how different, I hadn't seen in all my years of traveling Europe.

"Sir Newton," one of the cabin boys asked quietly from the doorway, slightly scared. I peered up at him from over the top of my compass, giving him a glare for interrupting my thoughts.

"Yes?" I snapped. The cabin boy appeared to stumble. "Out with it, boy!"

"The Indian chief of the region is here, requesting an audience with you. About negotiating the fall off Jamestown and the finding of Miss Swan."

The words rang in my ears—my two most desperate desires, and they were being handed to me on a silver platter. I could almost hear the wedding bells and my coronation as the replacement for King of England, once we overthrew the current one.

"How many?" I asked in a monotone, not giving away any emotion.

"Three. The chief, his second in command, and a bodyguard."

I stood up and made my way out to the deck to greet my… guests, for lack of a better term, shoving the cabin boy out of my way in the process. The crew had stopped their work, and were forming a sparse semi-circle around the boardwalk hole in the rim of the ship. I pushed them rudely away in irritation to see the Indians.

And they were _huge_!

At seven feet tall, body-builder muscles, and reluctantly intelligent eyes, they were much more that I was expecting. The chief, the biggest of them, would be more accurately described as an alpha male of a pack of wolves, for he had very dog-like features, than an Indian chief.

"My apologies for calling on you, Sir Newton, at this hour, but we must discuss the future of my tribe." The alpha-chief person said in a deep voice. It showed intimidating authority and command, like I _had_ to obey.

"No trouble." I replied in a constricted voice. I was actually surprised at how well the chief was informed on European manners. "Though may I ask: what is the real purpose of this visit?"

"Straight to the point. I respect that." The chief said approvingly. "First of all, we can give you a fair layout of the land, telling you the paths and camps of Jamestown for your strike. Rid us of those pigs." The chief's dark eyes flickered around my crew and soldiers, who were now all gathered around us. "And second, we heard of your plans to marry the young Miss Isabella Swan—"

"You greedy bastards, I want her _back_." I hissed. The chief chuckled.

"We were not the ones who took them—nor were the Englishmen." The chief paused for a moment. "The one you're looking for is an Edward Masen."

**CPOV**

I sighed and stood up from my work. Apparently _Sir_ Newton wasn't going to let me have _any_ peace and quiet on this expedition. Shame. And here I thought I would be doing some research for the University of London.

I meandered onto the deck, wondering what all the crew was looking at. They were all in a circle by the railing. A captive maybe? I swear, these Spaniards were nothing more than pigs.

"The one you're looking for is an Edward Masen." A deep, resounding voice said. It sound like a growl, and gave me doubt that it was human. _But it's just a Native, Carlisle_, I told myself, _of course it would sound different._

I almost convinced myself, too, before I caught the scent floating on the wind, coming from the stranger's direction. I would have thrown-up if I had been human. However, I did not show my disgust. This was who the Natives were. This could not be changed, for it was not the kind of stench that came from poor hygiene.

"Who in the world is _Edward Masen?_" Sir Newton sneered. A pang of recognition of the name sent me into confusion. _Where did I know him?_

"An Englishman that came a few decades ago." _Decades?_ "He lives in a cabin on an island a few miles north of here. A few nights ago, he disappeared for a few hours, coming back before dawn with a woman." An eerie emotion took over the speaker's voice. "He's gone again, this time with the woman, and we've found him in a cave, several miles north of his island, about halfway down a cliff face. It's impossible for us to get in, since the entrance is so small and the only people strong enough to get down there are too big for the entrance."

"And what are you getting at?"

"If you used a long piece of rope to get to the cave, you could get easily get in." The native spoke.

I got into the first row of spectators, close enough to be in awe of how tall they were. At over seven feet, they towered over the, a good foot over me, and could easily stretch and grab a rope hanging from the mast with no strain at all.

The breeze blew, and all three immediately glared at me. The biggest one's eyes said one thing: murder. Whatever these thing were, they knew what I was.

"Okay." Sir Newton finally said. "_You_ show us where they are, _we'll_ take care of the rest."

The native mumbled something that sounded an awful lot like, "I'd like to see you try."

"Cullen, Crowley, Yorkie, c'mon!" Sir Newton commanded in a loud voice, choosing the first three people he saw. I followed him to one of the boats on the side of the ship, right next to a rawhide canoe I inferred belonged to the natives, and we began off.

But what about the name _Edward Masen_ was so familiar to me?

**EPOV**

The end of Day 1 of Bella's change brought on a whole new pain for me. I wanted to rip myself to shreds for practically _murdering_ an angel such as her.

But I knew I couldn't. I had to be here for her, when she woke up. And if she by some miracle still _wanted_ me to be here. The suspense was killing me.

Bella's change got a notch more painful for her, resulting in her ear-splitting screams of pain and convulses every hour or so. She was not opening her eyes now, which killed me in a way, but saved me in another. It ate at me from the inside out to not be able to see her be her beautiful eyes one last time, but saved my soul to not see the red slowly devouring their original brown color.

I was so completely lost in my thought and pain that I didn't even realize a particularly large group of people were gathered just two hundred feet above me, on the lip of the cliff.

"Sir Newton, we are standing two hundred feet above your betrothed and her captor." I hissed as I heard Jacob's voice. Of all the things he could do… he was going to give me two blows with one plan.

Jacob heard my hiss and chuckled, letting his mind loose and showing me all the things he planned to do to me—no, _us_: me _and_ Bella. This only made me snarl with rage.

"My God!" An unfamiliar, but dirty and suggestive voice. I soon assumed it was _Sir_ Newton's, by the way he feared of an animal scarring Bella's body. It was repulsive, and that was with impeccably polite language. "What was that thing?"

"That _thing_, my good sir, is your Isabella's captor."

"That wasn't _human_!" Newton yelled with anguish.

_You have no idea._ Jacob chuckled in his head.

_Newton's right. It wasn't._ A familiar, smooth voice said in my head. I focused in on it. _It was a vampire. Edward Masen is a vampire. Perhaps he doesn't drink from humans—not with the scent of the natives._

I realized with a jolt where I had heard that _very same_ voice, decades ago—in London. The doctor my mother had. Something Cullen.

Carlisle Cullen.

"Carlisle Cullen?" I asked quiet enough to be undetected by Jacob but heard by the vampire. "The Dr. Cullen that had treated Elizabeth and Edward Masen, Sr.?"

_Dear God._

"Are you a vampire, too?" I asked.

_That poor boy. He's a vampire! After all the restraint I had to go against Elizabeth, he still ended up a vampire. At least not a 10-year-old one. But—_

"Dr. Cullen, I want you to listen to me and only to me." I said in a dark voice. I whimpered and winced in emotional pain as Bella let out another agonized scream. The group on the cliff yelped in surprise and shock.

_What is that boy _doing_ to this poor woman?_

"Dr. Cullen, I'm not doing anything." I pleaded. "I brought her to my cabin to save her from the Spaniards, and then she got frostbite, and when we got inside, I just couldn't control myself!"

_He bit her?_

"Yes, I bit her."

A pause. _Can you hear me?_

"Yes, Dr. Cullen. I can hear you."

"Alright! Get ready to climb, Crowley!" Newton yelled. I had almost completely forgotten about them.

_Edward, humans are going to try and get down there._

"I'm on it." I said quietly. I stood up, taking Bella with me since she was still clutching shirt and screaming into my chest, and walked up to the entrance of the cave. There, I pushed a large piece of rock in front of it so there was only a vertically 8-foot long, 2-in. wide slit representing the doorway. Once done, I went back to my spot and sat down, hoping the werewolves wouldn't jump down to bust down the door.

**A/N: I'm going to be uploading a lot of small prompts onto my profile to remind me to write for them, so if you like them, don't expect regular updates. This story and 'The Murder of Mary Alice' are still me top priorities.**


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